Hurricane Ike was the third most damaging storm in United States (U.S.) history, having caused about $24 billion dollars in damage, it was only behind Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as the most damaging in the U.S.. Hurricane Ike was the ninth named storm, fifth hurricane, and third major hurricane and the strongest hurricane of 2008. Ike may have caused up to 195 deaths. Most deaths happened in Haiti and the U.S. Haiti was still recovering from Tropical Storm Fay, Hurricane Gustav, and Hurricane Hanna.[1]

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The storm that eventually became Hurricane Ike started near the west coast of Africa on August 28. The storm grew quickly as it moved to the west-northwest. On September 1, the storm formed into Tropical Depression Nine when the storm was over the central Atlantic Ocean. Later that day Tropical Depression Nine became Tropical Storm Ike.